by Jeanni Gould / ga04042008I have had three successful "Prophet Parties" at my home recently, and the girls are asking me if I'm doing it again. What's a Prophet Party? The idea, officially called "Come Listen to a Prophet's Voice" can be a faith promoting 10 hour value project. (The project idea is published in my YW Book/CD-Rom "PERFECT PROJECTS for Personal Progress" -- They are printing more as they ran out, so it may be temporarily out of stock.) After I came up with this idea, it seemed so obvious, but I'd never heard of it before! I am so glad it is catching on!

Spring is the ideal time for this project, as that's when the 90 - minute YW General Broadcast is held. I generally count it for Faith or Integrity. It can also be Choice & Accountability as you choose wise use of your time, etc. This party is optional of course.

What do we do during the 8 hours of conference? We play Mia Maid (M&Ms) bingo, chart each speaker (see the general authorities photos in the May or November Ensigns), and other supportive activities. We participate fully in all sessions - singing along with the choir, folding our arms during prayer, taking careful journal notes, standing when the Prophet enters and leaves, sustaining the leaders, etc.) Occasionally we'll have a short discussion of some points a speaker has made. At the end of conference, we take 30 minutes to record our feelings in journals. During the 2 hour break from 11-1 on Sunday we watched John Bytheway's 'Standards Night Live' DVD (112 minutes) which is excellent, bytheway ;-) This makes a total of...10 hours!!!

I'd love to have all my young women watch all the conference sessions with their families. But that doesn't necessarily happen, I've discovered. I was surprised to find that even some Laurels from active Latter-Day Saint families had never actually listened to conference before, or never more than one session. It would be on in the background at their home, but they really paid no attention. Easy to sit and silently text message instead of take notes in your journal and open your heart . . .

My area has had conference on TV for the past 5 or 6 years - used to have to drive 45 minutes to hear a radio broadcast at the Stake Center, and only a handful of people attended. Are we taking this gift for granted? I am pleased to say that girls who have attended my "Prophet Party" once, tend to come again the next conference.

I invite each girl to bring a treat to share, and I serve Pepperoni Pizza and Pop between sessions, wear a Purple or Polka dot shirt, you get the idea. Some girls are a little hyper - this is a quiet and calm party by intention though of course.

Favorite scripture of the weekend - from Elder Holland. "My hand is stretched out still. I shall lengthen out my arm...all the day long." The Lord's hand is stretched out all the day long in hopes we will turn to him. He will be with us through our sins and our suffering, for Christ suffered greater than us all. Then he rose on Sunday. Elder Holland said that in our own lives also that "Sunday will come"! I thought it was a beautiful talk. (Whoops - the "Sunday will come" comment came from Elder Wirthlin. Elder Wirthlin spoke of the resurrection after that terrible Friday. He said, we will all have our Fridays, but I testify that Sunday will come. He also discussed how the disciples, afterward, did not go back to their regular lives, but continued to testify of the truth.)

So many of our youth feel hopeless and as if they can't come back from sin. Yet we know the Lord is reaching out to ALL of us. "He can make each of us clean again. Even you," as Elder Shayne M. Bowen so powerfully said. Side note: Can't believe that group of youth really took a girl hiking without mentioning the 4 hour religious breaks...

I also noticed that FOUR separate times, by four separate speakers, a particular scripture was quoted: "Come unto me, all ye who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Shared by Elder Oakes, President Faust, Sis Elaine Dalton (YW counselor), and Elder Anthony D. Perkins of the 70!)

That hit me as a strong message of this conference. The gospel can bring us comfort, peace and happiness, as we come to know the Savior. Related to Elder Holland's talk as well. I think there is something I am meant to understand here. (Though I've already written and recorded a song with this beautiful scripture as inspiration ("Come to the Savior" duet from 'We Are Daughters' music CD).

I feel Conference gets better and better each year. (It may be related to my own maturity level?) I so enjoyed sharing thoughts and understandings with these young women as we listened to our beloved prophet's voice.

FYI: You could record conference and do this activity the following week. Or you could purchase copies of conference from the Distribution Center and do this project any time.